Starkville Academy has season come to end

SENATOBIA – The Starkville Academy Volunteers saw a tremendous rally come up short in the fourth quarter and couldn't hold off the Magnolia Heights Chiefs in a 40-28 loss on Friday night.

With the loss, Starkville Academy's season came to an end with a final record of 5-7.

After losing to East Rankin Academy on Oct. 19, the Vols were forced to travel for the opening round of the Class AAA-District 2, Division II playoffs.

Magnolia Heights jumped out to a 13-0 lead in the first quarter.

The Volunteers took advantage of a Kirby Cox interception in the first quarter to get their only score of the first half. SA scored the touchdown on a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Drew Pellum with 8:58 remaining in the second quarter. With Johnathon Burton's PAT, the Vols cut the margin to 13-7 in the second quarter.

Magnolia Heights came right back to extend the lead back to 13 points after a 97-yard kickoff return by Fernando VanHook for the score.

The homestanding Chiefs scored again in the third quarter to go up 26-7.

Starkville Academy hit a big play in the passing game in the fourth quarter when Pellum threw a 81-yard pass to Hunter Bolin for the touchdown. Burton's extra-point kick closed the score to 26-14.

With 5:27 left in the game, Pellum and Bolin hooked up again for an 18-yard pass on SA's next offensive possession and Burton's PAT brought the score to 26-21.

A pair of VanHook touchdown runs gave Magnolia Heights the cushion it needed to win the game, but the Vols had one more score themselves before the completion.

Colby Runnels caught a 13-yard pass from Pellum and was fighting for yardage, when he saw Pellum and pitched him the football. Pellum ran the final 40 yards for a touchdown on the last play of the game.